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The Causes And Effects Of The Black Death

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This widespread bubonic plague that is known as the Black Death destroyed countless lives. The plague began in 1348 and the last outbreak took place in 1654 (Pringle 3). This specific plague was an insect-borne disease that wild rodents carried, such as black rats. They carried a pathogen called bacterium Yersinia pestis (Pringle 3). The spreading of this plague was very rapid (Saul 1). Symptoms of this plague were very disturbing and painful. Such symptoms as swellings in their groins and armpits that were the size of eggs. These swellings were black and filled with a black pus that would drain out of them (Galli 1). Other symptoms such as fevers, spitting up blood, and blisters on the skin (Pringle 3). However, the major symptoms were depression and a repugnant odor (Galli 1). The odor was so unbearable that people carried around different scented items with them when they would go out in town. (Skwarecki 62). The smell was awful that it was normal if you were to smell animal feces or rotting garbage (Skwarecki 62). The Black Death was known to be similar to Ebola, another horrendous disease (Pringle 3). Furthermore, the plague is more common amongst areas where these black rats live. These black rats can also be known as house rats or ship rats (Benedictow 1). When there is a specific area with numerous infected rodents living there it is known as a plague reservoir. These rats tend to live close to humans which causes the risk of getting this plague to increase rapidly

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